Hassidic Rebbe And Samaria Rabbis Form Pact

In meeting unity pledged between Hareidi-religious and national religious rabbis to support Torah study.

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Ari Yashar, Arutz Sheva Staff, 25/12/13 15:07

The Sadigura Rebbe with Samaria rabbis

Shomron Council

The Sadigura Rebbe, of the Hassidic-religious Sadigura dynasty met with rabbis of Jewish communities in Samaria recently, where unity on supporting Torah study was declared from all sides.

In the course of the meeting both sides agreed on cooperation, as the importance of unity between Samaria and Hareidi-religious rabbis in protecting yeshivas (Torah academies) was emphasized

Government funding for yeshivas was recently decided to remain at 2013 levels in 2014, lessening the fear of threatened funding cuts to force IDF enlistment for hareidim. Similarly, newly drafted laws have proposed tough sanctions on hareidim who decide to stay in yeshivas to study instead of serving in the IDF.

The Samaria rabbis said at the meeting that even if they did not succeed in influencing outcomes, it is important for the public to know that the hareidi and national religious rabbis have a shared line of thought regarding the Torah world and the importance of study.

Gershon Mesika, Head of Shomron (Samaria) Council, welcome the meeting, saying "there is no doubt that the Sadigura Rebbe said the key word. In everything connected to our lives in the land of Israel unity is the key word."

"We cannot have a rift between us, strengthening our enemies in the world," added Mesika. "That isn't beneficial to the Torah world or to our hold on the land of Israel."

Samaria rabbis at the meeting included chief rabbi of Yitzhar Rabbi David Dudkevitch, head of the Shavei Shomron Yeshiva Rabbi Yehoshua Shmidt, and others. The meeting was a continuation of a previous one held during Sukkot in September between the Sadigura Rebbe and Mesika.